Manufacture of vinegar



J. PALMER. Manufacture of Vinegar.

Patented Aug. 7, 1860.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN PALMER, OF FORT SCOTT, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND JAMES F. DRAPER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MANUFACTURE OF VINEGAR.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 29,550, dated August 7, 1860.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PALMER, of Fort Scott, in the county of Bourbon, Kansas, have invented a new and improved method of rapidly manufacturing vinegar, a new material for filling vinegar apparatus, and an improvement in mode of constructing apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the preparing an apparatus and filling that will expose the greatest amount of the liquid used for the production of vinegar, to the action of the greatest quantity of atmospheric air at all periods of time during acetification. Also to increase and perpetuate the acetous fermentation for any required time without deterioration in quality or being of necessity renewed, and without the use of extraneous heat, the filling when saturated with the proper proportions of alcohol and saccharine matter, generating its own heat, and perpetuating it in winter as well as in summer, the constituents for manufacture being used without reference to temperature, while by the ordinary slow German process the fluid used must be heated to from 70 to 83 Fahrenheit.

My apparatus requires the fluid to be passed through it but once to accomplish the most perfect acetification, thus allowing the manufacturer to be sure of realizing a certain number of barrels each day, the pure vinegar running off atthe base of the pile as fast as the stock is fed on at the top for any number of months (my experience extends through two years), the ordinary process requiring the fluid to be passed through the series of apparatus time and again. By my process the vinegar may be made by a single running of a desired strength at the opt-ion of the maker, and at his most perfect control.

To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use my apparatus and invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

Instead of single tubs ten to twenty feet in height, my apparatus consists of a series of tubs one upon another raised to the height at least of thirty feet and higher, as I Wish to make my vinegar of greater proof.

I use tubs of the length and shape of hogsheads to secure the required strength from hoops for the altitude. In the lower or ground tub of my series I allow the bottom head to remain, removing the upper head. In the center of the lower head bore a four inch hole and insert a tube closed at the top fitting the hole water tight. Tube marked A in the drawings accompanying. This tube I pierce with four holes, one inch in size equidistant near upper end as seen at B, C, in drawing, inclining from below up to prevent the vinegar from wasting through them. Tube sixteen inches in length. On bottom of tub at points equidistant from tube as seen in drawing D, E, F, G, I set four pieces of pine six by six, sixteen inches long, upon which and tube rest a perforated shelf, colander, or false bottom pierced with numerous holes, communicating with each other by a groove to allow the vinegar in its descent to pass readily. False bot-tom shown in drawing marked H, I. Between the two bottoms in the staves of the cask nearest the upper or false bottom I bore one hole two inches in size in each stave as seen in drawing marked 1, 2, 3, &c. These holes and the tube with perforations are to freely admit air to the base of apparatus, one of the principal points gained by this apparatus being the most perfect admission of air to all portions of the filling, thus keeping up the requisite supply of oxygen to promote and perfect acetous fermentation. Upon this false bottom I commence to place my filling (this filling is what I most particularly claim as my invention).

My filling consists of round corn cobs placed in regular layers alternately, none to stand perpendicularly in the tub since they would rapidly conduct the fluid along their length, but all to lie horizontally for the purpose of allowing the food to pass over their whole surface slowly, the interstices and cells in the cob permitting free circulation of air through the whole mass, the peculiar conformation of the filling, the corn cob, offering the greatest amount of fluid used for manufacture in the thinnest sheets to the greatest amount of atmospheric air, and from the construction of my aparatus (height being referred to) for the ongest continuous time, thus securing oxida tion thoroughly and completely as before described in the shortest possible time, none of which results can be perfectly attained by any other method, every other variety of filling requiring to be frequently replenished or renewed, the fluid too requiring to be raised by heat to 80 Fahrenheit or thereabout to procure acetification, and also absolutely impossible with it to produce the required result (acetification) Without passing the fluid through many times, thus enhancing the labor and delaying the time, while my filling, becoming very shortly inverted and filled with acetic acid, is preserved and actually grows better and more valuable by increasing age. Cask number two in the series, as seen in the drawing 2, I chamfer at lower end on outside to fit inside of cask 1, at top. Having placed this to fit accurately I continue to lay up my filling as in first cask and thus With each cask continuously until I have attained the desired altitude. I then invert a tub, leaving in an upper head, this to be pierced with five holes equidistant from center, as seen int-he drawing J, K, L, O. S, a groove running from one to the other to permit the fluid to flow readily into the pile. In this upper head bore two inch hole, as seen in diagram marked Y, for the escape of air coming from lower part of apparatus, thus keeping up the circulation through the pile. I have thus secured a closed tube, save at the bottom, my center air tube and air holes in staves, and at top my feeding holes, and hole for escape of air. in diagram, a feeding tub is placedcapacity varied according to size of pile or number of series. The fluid for making vinegar by this process is same as for the old German method fed onto the upper head of pile through cock X, as seen in diagram. With my apparatus the fluid requires but one passing through for the most perfect acetification, requirmg about twelve hours to be fully complete when passed through an apparatus from thirty to fifty feet in height.

hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The discovery of a material for filling vine ar a 3 aratus the corn cob.

JOHN PALMER. Vitnesses:

SAML. A. WILLIAMS, CHARLES DIMON.

Above this pile, as seen 

